While no one could take over his space in our hearts and memories, anyone who‚Äôs ever coveted the late Fred Spratt‚Äôs work/gallery space at 920 South First Street can now make a bid on the unique property. The Spratt heirs have listed the expansive place that Fred and Keiko called home, office, studio and gallery with Georgie Huff of Capital Properties. ‚ÄúI really hope someone from the arts community sees its value. So far, a T-shirt company looked at it, and I just hate to see it go to that kind of commercial use,‚Äù Huff said.

It would be a real shame if the place Spratt renovated specially to serve as a privately owned, all-purpose arts center was no longer put to its best and highest use. Its intimate yet spacious galleries outfitted with track lighting, exposed wood ceilings and sealed concrete floors alone cry out for an intrepid artist, patron or organization to take up Spratt‚Äôs torch before its flame is snuffed for good. Add in a cozy office with built-in shelves and flat files, studio/workshop and cleverly designed scheme permitting large-scale deliveries via a moveable wall in the two-car garage, and it‚Äôs a readymade arts salon a stone‚Äôs throw from SoFA and Martha Gardens.

As if that wasn‚Äôt enough, upgraded electrical, a working kitchen, two full baths, and a rooftop garden and balcony introduce the potential for things like performance to get added to the mix. The former Frederick Spratt Gallery is, and should remain, a serious artist-designed playground. It‚Äôs not like San Jose has a surplus of places offering similar possibilities. Contact Georgie Huff at gkhuff@sbcglobal.net or 408.691.5000 to inquire about resurrecting this legendary local arts space before it gets reconverted back into a sweatshop.